Amp settings

[dfwkeys]

Another basic question.  This is what i plan to do, Playing rythm parts in a song and then when it's time for my lead i'll use by overdrive pedal or distortion.  My question is, when playing rythm do i just leave the channel and settings on my amp as a clean channel (and what settings is the norm) and maybe add a little chorus, and when it's time for my lead part, do i keep it on the clean channel and just press the overdrive or distortion pedal, etc... ????

Thanks!

[Abe]

I think that is based on what you want to say/play, how you want to say/play it and the mood of the music. Look at it like oil and water or salt and pepper. It's all in how you season the meat...

[JayP5150]

It's all preference.  I NEVER flip to my clean channel. It's actually used as my mute button to kill the hum during testimonies and stuff.

I, personally, set my amp gain at the dirtiest that I would need, then I back off my guitar volume to adjust the grit.  I think this was posted before, I can't remember by who, though.

I'll see if I can find it, there was a big discussion on it.

[JayP5150]

Here's one thing the search pulled. There's a few different amps discussed, but there's some pretty good back-and-forth on how we all set our stuff for what, and some good insight by Dave (of course lol)

http://www.learngospelmusic.com/forums/index.php/topic,24808.0.html

I forgot to add above, I really don't rely on pedals for my dist. The only distortion-type thing I have on my board right now is a booster, which does get a bit into the overdrive realm, but it mostly boosts volume (which on a tube amp will produce more dist), and it really chunks up the mids a bit.

It's home-made, if anyone is interested in one, let me know lol. j/k, but I would if you wanted one...

[jlynnb1]

i eq fairly dark...nothing i hate more than a shrill, thin guitar sound. mine is usually set to trebl-3 or 4, mids-6 or 7, bass 5-8, depending on the guitar.

[dfwkeys]

So do you use your overdrive or distortion pedals on the clean amp channel or the overdrive on the amp too

[jlynnb1]

i use both.....my amp has a GREAT od sound, but it's a really ballsy "Marshall" type sound, and sometimes i need maybe just slight break up, a chimey vox'ish sound or a rectified type boogie sound, so i use pedals for that.

if you're not having to cover different types of music, you might not need so many options. if your amp has a good gain sound that you dig and vibe with, go with that.....if not use a pedal.

[JayP5150]

So do you use your overdrive or distortion pedals on the clean amp channel or the overdrive on the amp too

If I'm using a Fuzz Face or the like, I usually go with the clean channel, or on my 5150 (which we all know doesn't have a clean channel lol), I just clean it up to a slight OD.

If I'm using a booster, or an Overdrive pedal, it usually goes over at least a slightly dirty amp (really, that's what pedals like the Tube Screamer and Zakk Wylde OD--which is really just a modded Boss SD-1--are designed to do).

Again, all personal taste.

[mt_spiffy]

I ONLY use the clean channel on my amps.  I have a distortion pedal, when it is time for lead lines, I step on it. Occasionally if I want a little crunch, I'll use the distortion pedal, but back my guitar volume off to like 3. 

Some amps dont even have a distortion channel.

[JayP5150]

I ONLY use the clean channel on my amps.  I have a distortion pedal, when it is time for lead lines, I step on it. Occasionally if I want a little crunch, I'll use the distortion pedal, but back my guitar volume off to like 3. 

Some amps dont even have a distortion channel.

But I've yet to encounter a pedal that can *truly* emulate a tube amp's distortion (even the tube pedals).

Again, it's all personal taste, but I prefer to add dist pedals for seasoning, and have the amp as my main flavor. Besides, if it doesn't have a good sound to start with, it's not going to sound good with pedals. 

Not that a clean sound can't be good (it would be ignorant to say that), but an amp like a Roland JC-whatever-they're-called is made to be so pristine-clean that if it were pushed by a booster, it's not going to respond the way it "should."